“I Heard You Got Too Litt Last Night”

Before debuting as a solo artist, the Brooklyn rapper SAINt JHN wrote bright and lofty tracks for Usher (“Crash,” “Rivals”), Jidenna (“Helicopters/Beware”), and more. Similarly, the music JHN makes for himself is upbeat R&B designed to fill a big room. His latest single, “I Heard You Got Too Litt Last Night,” is the first from his debut album Collection 1, and it’s the same type of anthemic party pop he’s lent out to bigger stars before.

At first, the single seems like a dizzying morning after track as JHN sings, “I heard you got too litt last night/Didn't make it home.” But the refrain lands more like a fist-pumping party chant than a prickly accusation; a whimsical kazoo-like synth helps land the effect. JHN’s greatest skill, as “I Heard You Got Too Litt Last Night” reveals, is his ability to turn any hashtag-friendly turn-up slogan (“It's just a vibe if you wanna know”) into a hook. Especially with this song’s spare production—just rattling percussion squirming beneath a wandering synth line—JHN’s deep, unadorned tenor becomes a listener’s sole focus. “I Heard You Got Too Litt Last Night” is simple and catchy, proof that JHN can sing his own songs as well as anybody else.